Factory Tour x Three

If anyone had told me I would be fascinated with nutmeg on my trip to the beach, I would have laughed. I mean, I don't even like nutmeg in my food. Never mind the fact that it is a seed. How can a seed be interesting? But I will admit that today I was in total awe with the production and distribution of a seed. Last week it was dirt moving down the river on a barge. Now it's seeds. What's next?

We toured a nutmeg factory this morning and learned the seeds are separated into three groups by hand. I repeat. By hand. This was what really struck me as fascinating. In some parts of the world, people still work with their hands and take great pride in doing so. I could tell you why there are three groups, but I know normal people would find that boring. 

 Then the seeds are dried. 

 Last, they are cracked and distributed. 

Let me go on record to say it was at this point in our trip that Evan wished he was born into another family. Who goes on vacation to visit a nutmeg factory? We do, Evan. One day you will thank me for this experience because it will show you are well-traveled and open to new experiences. 

But the fun didn't stop there. We also visited a rum distillery, where the rum is produced using the same machinery as that used three hundred years ago. 

Then we stopped at a chocolate factory. 

We tasted cocoa beans. Well, all but Evan because he was still wishing a calamity on our tour bus so he could get back to the pool.

We witnessed all of the steps in the production of chocolate. The seeds we are first fermented. 

Then they are dried in sun rooms. 

We left this stop for the gift shop and bought our weight in fresh chocolate. Interestingly, Evan's mood perked up. I've decided to keep chocolate in secret places places around the house, and when his blood sugar drops and his foul moods begin, I will shove chocolate down his throat. Then all will be better with the world. 

Tomorrow we lounge all day at the pool. 

Etang National Forest

Sometimes the rainforest can be as enchanting as the beach. This is especially true of the Grenadian rainforest. The flowering plants, the variety of trees, and the aromas are breath taking. Our first stop was Etang Lake, created in the crater of an extinct volcano.

The island is known as The Spice Island because spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and saffron grow in abundance here. But the rainforest has beautiful trees like the rainbow sycamore. We even saw a kapok tree; the elementary teacher in me was so excited about this!

The national park is home to monkeys and the national bird, the Grenada dove. Interestingly, a guy was imprisoned last month for four years for running over a dove. After hearing this story, I was so glad we ran out of money and didn't rent a car while we were there because I would have been yelling, "Stop! A bird!" with the flap of every wing for fear of killing a bird. I don't think Wes would have approved!

Our favorite site in the national park was Annandale Falls. 

The boys were brave enough to jump in! We were taken by this place and would love to return one day.

 

Day 2 Adventure

Today we took a boat to snorkel at Molinere Reef and Pelican Bay. 

Much of the reef was destroyed by a hurricane about 20 years ago. Ten years ago an artist created an underwater sculpture garden that he hoped would revitalize the growth of new coral. The art work was amazing and at the same time a bit odd. Our favorite sculpture was a group of children standing in a circle and holding hands. Underwater. All I could think of was drowning children. It's beyond odd really. Evan wanted to know why, even after ten years, there wasn't any coral growing on the statues. I was still stuck on drowning children, and my eldest was in deep thought about the life cycle of coral. Our guide assured us this is the first of many underwater sculpture gardens to come. We can say we saw the first, even if it is the last. 

We, by we I mean the boys, spent the afternoon at the pool with a football (I had a date under the sea grape tree with my Kindle and desire to produce as much vitamin D as possible), and then we caught a game or two of beach tennis. 

I'm still dreaming of the school's upcoming accreditation visit. A few more days in paradise and I hope to be cured!